The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the Environmental Permit for the Hope Wind Farm Project on the East Coast of Demerara. The permit was issued after an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted by the Environmental Assessments Board (EAB).
The project proposes to establish a Wind Farm that is to be the first substantial utility-scale renewable energy project to be implemented in Guyana. The 25.2MW wind farm is proposed to generate over 80GWh per year, to be delivered to Guyana Power and Light (GPL’s) grid according to terms of a Power Purchase Agreement and Grid Interconnection Agreement.
This wind energy, therefore, represents over 10% of GPL’s gross total electricity generation, enough to supply 7000 homes with power.
The project will be located on a 27-acre state-owned lease at Hope Beach (HB), and private leases at Chapman’s Grove (CHG), some 28km and 30km, respectively, SE of Georgetown centre.
In September of 2018, Hope Energy Development (HED) submitted an application to construct and operate the wind farm.
The project proposes the construction of six wind turbines at Hope Beach and Chapman’s Grove on the East Coast.
HED is working with three partners – SPI (Denmark and Colombia), Innova Energy Ltd, from Trinidad and Tobago and Total Energy Solutions Inc, Guyana.
The permit was granted following approval of the EIA which has:
- Fully complied with the Terms and Scope which were set by the EPA in consideration of the submissions made by members of the public;
- Adequately addressed the views and feedback expressed by members of the public and other stakeholders during consultations and the statutory sixty (60) day public review period;
- Received recommendation for approval by the Environmental Assessments Board (EAB); and
- Adequately assessed the potential adverse effects or risks posed by the project, and the Environmental Mitigation Plan contained therein, proposes appropriate and adequate measures to mitigate the same.
